Princess Liliane of Belgium (2nd wife of King Leopold III)

[Gabriella]

Why are her children not considered major royals? As the children of a king, and half-siblings to two more kings, you would think that they would be mentioned more often. Also, why was she never given the title, Queen of Belgium after her marriage? As the wife of a king, you would think that she would be entitled to it. I thought that you basically took the title of your husband after the marriage?

[Hannelore]

Her children (well Alexander and Esmeralda) have chosen themselves for a private life.

She didn't become queen because it was clear from the start people were not going to accept her (being a commoner, replacing the venerated Astrid, secret mariage during the war).

[Hannelore]

With Leopold


Elegant Lilian

[Hannelore]

With leopold and Albert in the 50's


At a table, with leopold

[Josefine]

how do the belgiums feel about her now?

[Valentine]

I'm Belgian and always have been very fond of Lilian.
I've never really understood why people didn't accept her.
Astrid died in a car accident, Léopold had three children and was still young, very normal and healthy of him to fall in love with a beautiful smashing woman like Lilian.
I'm 35, for me second marriages are part of life.
I often wonder how people would react to such a second marriage now.

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

The problem wasn't that Leopold remarried (well of course it was very insensible of him to marry during the war when his people were suffering so much).

The problem was that he married the daughter of a highly controversial man (he was governor of a province and fled as soon as the war broke out, while his duty was to stay in his province an put people into safety - he was never punished for this-guess why...)

Lilian was a real golddigger and influenced Leopold to make certain political decisions wich led to his abdication.

I do agree she was a very beautiful and elegant woman. Just not fit to be royal :(

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

1. Lilian with Princess Maria Pia of Savoye and her husband Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia. 2. Leopold III and Lilian with Eddy Merckx

[Yann Saunders]

On August 29, 1935, the King's 29-year-old bride, Astrid, was killed in a road accident near Kussnacht, in Switzerland. This tragedy was largely reported in the press. I understand that King Leopold III was involved in a second, similar tragedy near Cortina d'Ampezzo, in the Italian Piedmont, circa 1957. That accident was never officially reported in the Belgian (or world) press, for obvious reasons. In the archives of the Antwerp Gazette for 1957 is a photo of the wrecked car, a Cadillac from 1953 with a unique sport roadster body created by Pinin Farina. I am looking for any further information regarding that second "royal accident". Where might I find such information?

[Valentine]

Why is she supposed to be a golddigger?
And isn't it normal that a wife always is a bit influencing her husband, whether he's King or not? Léopold seemed quite capable of taking his own decisions.

[Hannelore]

She really was a golddigger. Before Leopold, she was engaged to a Hungarian aristocrat. His family didn't want him to marry Lilian, they moved heaven and earth to get what they wanted. His family ended by agreeing, if he was to give up his title. Lilian wasn't intrested anymore and immediately broke of the engagement.


With Leopold III, Lilian behaved in a similar way, she never really was happy with her title of princess, she wanted to be a queen.At the 60th birthday of queen Elisabeth, she wanted to be the center of attention and parade herself around. The governement had to stop her.

She hated Fabiola because she was the queen she never was.

Lilian didn't just influence her husband a bit (I agree with you that all couples influence each other). When they were in exile in Swiss, important members of the Belgian government had come to debate with Leopold about a solution in the royal question. Each time there was a break through at night, but when he returned from lilian in the morning, he said the whole idea of the night before was impossible. This led to his abdication. Leopold III was a weak person and Lilian very dominating.

She also made Leopold write a 'political testament' that gave exorbitant freedom the Flemish political power Lilian's father was part of. Luckily this was discovered in time and prevented, else Belgium woudn't exist anymore today...


If you want to know more about, there's a very good (reliable, with excellent sources and starting from objectf points of view) book, written by Evrard Raskin.

[GreenLily]

I know this is an odd question, but do you think Astrid would have approved of Liliane?

[Valentine]

As she has been a good stepmother for them I would say yes.

[Hannelore]

When they were small yes, as adults they didn't want anything to do with her anymore.

[foiegrass]

what's this i hear about princess liliane selling off family tiaras, jewels. that now the belgium royal family lacks tiaras, jewellry and stuff.

did josephine-charlotte detest her?

[flcty]

Originally Posted by foiegrass

what's this i hear about princess liliane selling off family tiaras, jewels. that now the belgium royal family lacks tiaras, jewellry and stuff.

did josephine-charlotte detest her?

I heard about it to (the selling of family items) had something to do with one of her daughters getting raped by a senior memeber of the saxe-coburg family at her coming out party and when the daughter told Liliane she didn't believe her (i can imagine and understand why her step-kids [albert,baudoin.j-c] might hate her) and locked her up. Can someone tell me, clear it up for me, (foiegrass question) did josephine-charlotte/baudoin/albert detest her? did anyone actually like her?
thanks :)

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

De Post (thanks to Chris)

Wedding of Leopold and Lilian in 1942.





in exile

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

De Post (thanks to Chris)

with queen Victoria of Spain, the duchess of Vendôme and queen Marie-José of Italy





Leopold, Marie Christine, Lilian and princess Clémentine

[Jose]

Who Princess Clementine? She is relatives to Princess Liliane? Princess Clementine is relatives to royal family of Belgium? Near Princess Clementine death and have family??

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Originally Posted by Jose

Who Princess Clementine? She is relatives to Princess Liliane? Princess Clementine is relatives to royal family of Belgium? Near Princess Clementine death and have family??

princess Clémentine of Belgium was a sister of king Albert I of the Belgians, so an uncle of king Leopold III.